Nickels and Dimes
by AgentOfAngst
Summary: What if there's no prince? How could Tiana's dreams come true? Is friendship really magic?


**What if there was never any Prince? How do fairytale wishes come true?**

* * *

"Lottie, you're missing your whole party, are you sure this is what you want to do?" Tiana asked as Lottie set to work.

"Of course this is what I want to do. All I'm missing is Travis trying to get me to dance. They'll be other parties for that. Other parties for rejecting his advances." They were sprawled out on Charlotte's bedroom floor in their party gowns, counting coins. When Tiana had explained in hysterics that the Fenner Brothers had threatened her restaurant unless she had the whole payment in cash, Charlotte had left her party looking like a Princess. She'd help Tiana collect the cans of nickels and dimes and they'd ended up here.

"You're sure your dad is willing to exchange my dirty nickels for cash?" Tiana asked, still stunned into disbelief.

"Of course he will. We have a table at your restaurant. This is a very worthy investment."

"I just don't want to interrupt your Mardi Gras with my problems."

"Nonsense Tia, you are my closest friend. If one of us is going to get our fairytale dreams it should be you."

"Oh, Lottie, you'll get your dream," Tiana assured as she counted change.

"Of course, of course. But right now my dream is to get you yours, and any princes can come after." Tia laughed, feeling better for the first time that night as her dream became attainable once more.

"Any _princes_? You expect to have more than one?" Lottie laughed too, grabbing a fistful of coins and piling them into dollar increments.

"If the evening star is going to make me wait for Prince Charming it might as well give me two." Both girls were reduced to a fit of laughter, reminiscent of their childhood games. They lived very different lives, but their winding paths always brought them back to this room and the moments of joy they shared together.

"You can have the receptions for your royal weddings at my restaurant," Tiana promised with a laugh, dumping out another can of tips. They still had a long night's work left to do, and the music was fading from the party outside.

"That means a lot to me, Tia. And when you find your Prince Charming I'll make sure that you have the perfect fairytale wedding," Charlotte guaranteed, standing and twirling in her gown as if to show Tiana what kind of magic she had to look forward to when her "Prince" rolled into town.

"Oh, I didn't wish for any Prince..." Tiana said, brushing off that part of her future like it just didn't matter.

"A girl as pretty as you doesn't need to wish for a prince. You'll steal someone's heart soon enough."

"Then why're you wishing for a Prince, Lottie? You're gorgeous and everyone loves you."

"I'm just too specific," Lottie laughed.

"You'll get your specific Prince, Lottie. That was always your dream I don't need any piece of it."

"When I get my specific Princes, you can have my second one. Even if you never dreamed it, Tia, maybe it could fit into your dream. My dream has shifted too."

"Has it?"

"Part of my dream is to get you yours. It means so much more than any number of princes. If this restaurant is your Prince, I'll help you get it."

"I'll get you your Prince, Charlotte. You just have to kiss the right frog, right?"

"I wish it were that easy," Lottie sighed dramatically, falling back into her dress like she was fainting from the flush of a royal romance.

"What, are you telling me fairy tales aren't easy?!" Tiana asked, pretending to be shocked.

"Haha, I know. It's not just wishing. You've worked very hard for your dreams. I know I need to do the same."

"It wasn't all hard work, Lottie. There was a little bit of magic. Here you are being my very own fairy Godmother." Charlotte laughed again.

"I'm sure you'd return the favor if you could."

"I will, I promise I will. I'd kiss a frog for you," Tiana promised, which meant a lot coming from her.

"I know you would, Tia." They fell silent, taking up the task once more before Tiana finally voiced her fears aloud.

"What if I'm not good enough for this? What if I can't do it? What if I'm not supposed to get this dream?"

"Tia, don't talk like that! If you can't have the dream you've worked for all your life than what's the point of anyone else wishing? Tia, you deserve this dream more than anyone deserves any other dreams. And once you've gotten what you deserve, maybe the evening star can shine on someone else."

"Lottie, why'd you skip your party?" Tiana asked, guessing that there was something more behind her friend's kindness. Lottie sighed, looking tired and a little ashamed.

"It's just, I've spent my whole life wishing on a star for a prince I don't deserve. You've worked hard for the only thing you ever wished for, and it's like something is trying to stop you from getting it. I don't want to get something I didn't work for if you're stuck missing out on your dream."

"Dreams don't work like that, Charlotte. They don't count people out based on how hard they do or don't work. You can work hard to get your dream, but some of it is just dreaming, some of it is just wishing. Sometimes they don't come true, my daddy didn't live to see this restaurant that I'm working for, but he had his family. If neither of us gets our dream at least we'll have this friendship. And if our dreams do come true, it won't be because we deserve it. I don't know if that's how magic works. I don't think anyone ever really deserves anything, we just live the life we get." Tiana was, at this point, rambling, because she didn't know if she could say all of the things she wanted to say. As hard as it was to face a world where she might not have her restaurant, she wanted her best friend to know that it was okay if their growing friendship was the only thing they found in the nickels and dimes tonight.

After all, love and family were more important than any wish ever could be. But that didn't mean they'd stop working for what they'd always dreamed of. It just meant that life continued past the dreams.


End file.
